Dr. John Rudley, President of Texas Southern University, El Franco Lee, Harris County Precinct One Commissioner, James Rodriguez, City Council, Chris Canetti, Dynamo President of Business Operations, Mayor ... more

Dymano Girls Sara and Tina chat at the goal post at the conclusion of the Houston Dynamo and BBVA Compass Stadium ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, May 1, 2012, in Houston.

Dymano Girls Sara and Tina chat at the goal post at the conclusion of the Houston Dynamo and BBVA Compass Stadium ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, May 1, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: Mayra Beltran, Houston Chronicle

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Matthew Rogers, HCHSA Board of Directors, is photographed with Dymano Girls (left to right) Taylor, Melissa, Tina, and Sara, at the end of the Houston Dynamo and BBVA Compass Stadium ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, May 1, 2012, in Houston. less

Matthew Rogers, HCHSA Board of Directors, is photographed with Dymano Girls (left to right) Taylor, Melissa, Tina, and Sara, at the end of the Houston Dynamo and BBVA Compass Stadium ribbon-cutting ceremony on ... more

Photo: Mayra Beltran, Houston Chronicle

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Alvarado Luis assembles armrests for a couple of seats at the new BBVA Compass Stadium as they prepare for Opening Day May 12th, 2012. Photo take after ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, May 1, 2012, in Houston. less

Alvarado Luis assembles armrests for a couple of seats at the new BBVA Compass Stadium as they prepare for Opening Day May 12th, 2012. Photo take after ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, May 1, 2012, in ... more

Photo: Mayra Beltran, Houston Chronicle

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Gregory Compean, Harris County Houston Sports Authority Board of Director member, looks at son Gregory Compean greet Lawrence Catuzzi, HCHSA Board of Directors, and Sylvia Garcia, former Harris County Precinct Two Commisioner, prior to the Houston Dynamo and BBVA Compass Stadium ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, May 1, 2012, in Houston. less

A view of the field from the upper level at the BBVA Compass Stadium, the new home of the Houston Dynamo.

A view of the field from the upper level at the BBVA Compass Stadium, the new home of the Houston Dynamo.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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An exterior view of the BBVA Compass Stadium.

An exterior view of the BBVA Compass Stadium.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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The metal exterior of the BBVA Compass Stadium.

The metal exterior of the BBVA Compass Stadium.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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The main concourse of the BBVA Compass Stadium.

The main concourse of the BBVA Compass Stadium.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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The ticket office windows at BBVA Compass Stadium.

The ticket office windows at BBVA Compass Stadium.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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The ticket office at BBVA Compass Stadium.

The ticket office at BBVA Compass Stadium.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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An entrance to the BBVA Compass Stadium.

An entrance to the BBVA Compass Stadium.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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A cross section view of the Lexan Thermoclick sheet which cover parts of the exterior of the BBVA Compass Stadium.

A cross section view of the Lexan Thermoclick sheet which cover parts of the exterior of the BBVA Compass Stadium.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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Triangle pattern wood panels inside the BBVA Compass Stadium.

Triangle pattern wood panels inside the BBVA Compass Stadium.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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The metal exterior of the BBVA Compass Stadium.

The metal exterior of the BBVA Compass Stadium.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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The metal exterior of the BBVA Compass Stadium.

The metal exterior of the BBVA Compass Stadium.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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Seat on the lower level.

Seat on the lower level.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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A front row seat.

A front row seat.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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The Houston Dynamo locker room at the BBVA Compass Stadium, Tuesday, April 10, 2012, in Houston.

The Houston Dynamo locker room at the BBVA Compass Stadium, Tuesday, April 10, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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The Houston Dynamo locker room at the BBVA Compass Stadium, Tuesday, April 10, 2012, in Houston.

The Houston Dynamo locker room at the BBVA Compass Stadium, Tuesday, April 10, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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The entrance to the Houston Dynamo locker room at the BBVA Compass Stadium, Tuesday, April 10, 2012, in Houston.

The entrance to the Houston Dynamo locker room at the BBVA Compass Stadium, Tuesday, April 10, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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The main tunnel for field access at the BBVA Compass Stadium the new home of the Houston Dynamo soccer team, Tuesday, April 10, 2012, in Houston.

The main tunnel for field access at the BBVA Compass Stadium the new home of the Houston Dynamo soccer team, Tuesday, April 10, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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The BBVA Compass Stadium the new home of the Houston Dynamo soccer team, photogrpahed, Tuesday, April 10, 2012, in Houston.

The BBVA Compass Stadium the new home of the Houston Dynamo soccer team, photogrpahed, Tuesday, April 10, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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Francisco Murillo paints a doorway at the BBVA Compass Stadium, Tuesday, April 10, 2012, in Houston.

Francisco Murillo paints a doorway at the BBVA Compass Stadium, Tuesday, April 10, 2012, in Houston.

Photo: James Nielsen, Chronicle

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Dynamo: The long road home makes stadium opening all the sweeter for Ching, Davis

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By the time Brian Ching joined the San Jose Earthquakes in 2003, there already were plenty of rumors the franchise would move. The thought of one day playing in a soccer-specific stadium in Northern California seemed an impossible dream.

One move, 10 seasons and several snubs and failed proposals later, the so-called House that Ching built is set to open May 12 on the East End of downtown Houston, almost 1,900 miles away from the Earthquakes' old Spartan Stadium home.

BBVA Compass Stadium is the latest soccer-specific stadium in Major League Soccer, giving the Dynamo's all-time leading scorer the state-of-the-art facility he has envied while playing in the league's stadium boom era.

From wide-eyed to nostalgic

"I think my first year I was just wide-eyed and just excited to be in the league," said Ching, who debuted in 2001 with the Los Angeles Galaxy. "I wasn't really thinking about stadiums and things like that.

"I think over the past few years, I really think with Toronto, Seattle, Portland, Vancouver and all these cities with the amount of fans that they're getting - like Montreal had 60,000 at the first game - nowadays it's a little more nostalgic. You get to really see these things and really, really appreciate the growth of the league."

Unable to secure public funding for a stadium in San Jose or even nearby Fremont, it was only a matter of time before one of the league's original franchises bolted in December 2005 and eventually became the Houston Dynamo for their inaugural 2006 season.

When the franchise moved, Dynamo owner Anschutz Entertainment Group hoped to capitalize on the public support that had led to publicly financed new stadiums for the Astros, Texans and Rockets. In their seventh season in the Bayou City, Ching and his teammates finally will be moving in to their soccer-specific stadium.

Waiting much longer than any of the original Dynamo expected will serve to make the opening that much sweeter, according to Brad Davis and Ching, the only remaining players who moved with the club from San Jose.

"We don't know what it's like to have our own stadium," said Davis, a 2011 MLS Most Valuable Player finalist and three-time Dynamo MVP. "We haven't had it, so I can't tell you the excitement yet because I haven't walked into my own place.

"We've had Robertson Stadium, but that wasn't our stadium. That was something we were leasing from somebody. That's been the norm since we've been in San Jose at Spartan Stadium and coming here to Houston to Robertson Stadium, that's just been what we've been dealing with."

There were numerous failed attempts by the Earthquakes to secure a publicly financed stadium in San Jose.

In 2002, there was plenty of talk of renovating Spartan Stadium, which is on the Cal State-San Jose campus. From late 2002 through 2005, the franchise also flirted on and off with officials from Santa Clara in hopes of getting a stadium there.

An opening from San Jose

Officials in nearby Fremont, the Northern California city where Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear was raised, mentioned the possibility of serving as the home of the Earthquakes. There was one problem: They couldn't finance the project.

"When they were doing a stadium referendum in San Jose, I went to one of the city council meetings to show support," Kinnear said. "After it got shot down, I was like, 'Ah, there's only so much you can control. So I'll stay away from it.' "

Shortly before the franchise finally moved to Houston, Earthquakes fans grew hopeful when the owners of the NHL's San Jose Sharks considered purchasing the team and potentially building a soccer stadium near the Sharks' arena. That deal never materialized.

The rest is history. The team moved to Houston in December 2005 and wasted little time visiting with then-Mayor Bill White, who welcomed Kinnear, goalkeeper Pat Onstad, defender Wade Barrett and then-team president Oliver Luck at City Hall.

"In San Jose, we never really thought about it," Ching said. "The rumor the whole time we were there was just about us moving. It's pretty cool that we are here, and we're getting our stadium.

"The fans are getting really excited about it. It's something that I've really been looking forward to ever since those days in San Jose."

Landing a stadium in Houston wasn't exactly easy, though, despite the Dynamo's excellence at the University of Houston's Robertson Stadium. The club won the MLS Cup title in its first two seasons here while drawing strong crowds.

Nonetheless, the Dynamo arrived in town long after public officials were willing to pay the entire cost of a new stadium. The city and Harris County combined to pay $35 million in infrastructure improvements and the land purchase. The Dynamo owners agreed to finance the other $60 million construction cost for the $95 million stadium, clearing the way to break ground on the site Feb. 5, 2011.

'Victory for the sport'

The Earthquakes also appear destined for a new soccer-specific stadium soon. Because of the traditionally strong fan support in that area and the franchise's rich history, MLS commissioner Don Garber ruled that the Earthquakes' records, team name and uniform colors would remain in San Jose.

Garber's decision gave Earthquakes fans hope that MLS would return to San Jose. But a month after the Dynamo bolted, the San Jose city council reiterated its stance against publicly financing a stadium for the Earthquakes, who resumed play in 2008 and finally appear set to begin building their privately funded facility near the San Jose Airport later this year.

"Each and every market is different, and as we approach the completion of our 13th soccer-specific stadium, we've learned that these projects require lots of hard work, diligence and patience," Garber said. "But certainly the fact both Houston and San Jose will soon have permanent homes for their MLS clubs represents another victory for the sport in this country."